Travel a Lot For Business? Don't Forget a Travel Pillow!

By Sherry L Harris

Business travelers that are on the road a lot should always carry their own travel pillow. A good travel pillow can serve many purposes. It can be a pillow, a neck pillow, a back pillow, something to keep the light out of your eyes, and much more.

It's also a good idea to have your own travel pillow for sanitary reasons. Airlines disinfect their pillows, but there is still a good chance that dust mites or other things could be living inside. I don't know about you, but that is gross to me. Yuck!

When you have your own cushion that is soft and clean and has not been used by a thousand other people that week, you will be much more relaxed. And, as an added bonus, you will sleep more soundly on your pillow.

When you are buying a travel pillow for yourself or a loved one look for a pillow that has a flexible stuffing, so that it can be reshaped and used as a neck pillow or padding, if need be. It should also have a removable cover that can be taken off and washed. A small pillow should be able to be wadded up and shoved into a pocket or purse because you might not always be able to get to your carry on bag easily to get your pillow.

If you are crafty you can make your travel pillow or make a pillow for someone you love. Choose a soft but easily washable fabric for the cover and put a zipper or a snap on it so you can take the cover off for cleaning. If you want to make the pillow more relaxing, put some fresh herbs like Lavender flowers or some Chamomile or Peppermint in a sachet and tuck that inside the pillow.

When the herbs get stale you can just take that sachet out and put in a new one. Be careful that the herbs you use are not too strong though or the rest of the other people on the plane might object to you using the pillow.

Along with your travel pillow you should also carry a travel blanket. A light travel blanket will make it easier to sleep on the plane and it will give you a little extra warmth on the airplane and in the hotel if you need it. A cashmere shawl or large scarf can do double duty as a light but warm travel blanket that you can easily carry with you.

So, next time you boss sends you off another trip across country, don't forget your handy dandy travel pillow. Here's to your rest, so you can have a great meeting.

Contour Travel Pillow

By Manuel Wiggins

Contour travel pillows are available for both adults and children. For adults they are available in two shapes.

The horseshoe shape that goes around the neck and supports the head while sleeping in flights. They are easily available and the most used type. They are made of polyester blend and are fiber filled. They cushion the neck and the head. They are covered with fleece or cotton and are resistant and durable. Most companies offer them as machine washable. Inflatable and non inflatable contour travel pillows are also available. They are easy to carry and can fit into the smallest of places.

The cost for the pillows range from $12-$15. There are many that are shaped flatter unlike the horseshoe shape. They support both the sides of the head. These can be used in planes, trains, buses and also in the back of the car.

For children, the contour travel pillows are smaller in shape and are designed to resemble various animals such as leopards, dogs, cats, lions, zebras and many other animals. They are made in the same way and care is taken so that they don't cause any allergy or rashes in children.

The wedge shaped pillow is also a contour travel pillow. It serves the same purpose and lets you travel in ease without a neck crick. It helps you to relax and you wake with more vigor and vitality.

The inflatable travel lumbar pillow provides comfort not only for your necks and head but also for lower backs and legs. It packs neatly and takes very little space. These pillows can be deflated with just a press of a button. Since it's so compact it can be easily packed away in the briefcase. It has a removable cover in polyester that can be easily machine washed.